Seeds of Change: Empowering Youth In Restoring Native Habitat

“The Santa Monica Mountains Fund works to protect and encourage appreciation and understanding of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.”

… this part of SAMO Fund’s mission perfectly encapsulates the our Seeds of Change: Empowering Youth in Restoring Native Habitat project. This projects employs at-promise youth at the native plant project nursery for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. The employees are learning about our native plants and cultivating the, from seeds collected locally within the Santa Monica Mountain.

This work is funded thanks to a grant from SoCal Gas Climate Champions, which featured in the SoCalGas Corporate Sustainability Report for 2023, published this month

"Thanks to SoCalGas' Climate Champions Grant program, our organization was better equipped to take on ecosystem degradation in the Santa Monica Mountains and increase biodiversity while creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged youths with limited resources," said Deanna Armbruster, Executive Director at Santa Monica Mountains Fund.  "SoCalGas' sustainability investments continue to play a vital role in fostering community development, promoting environmental stewardship, and improving the well-being of in our local communities."  

SoCalGas is a leader among utilities in its sustainability goals and was among the first and largest natural gas distribution utilities in the United States to announce its aim to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Additionally, SoCalGas’ energy efficiency programs are some of the largest in the United States.

SAMO Fund is grateful for SoCal Gas for funding this project.‌